Read Online Secret Confessions: Down & Dusty — Kelly by Fiona Lowe - Free Book Online Page A

barking of their bouncy and excited golden retriever. ‘Take Rufus outside, please, and come straight back in for breakfast. Ruby, you know Ms Haraldson said you can’t wear your tutu over your school uniform.’
    Kelly was in ‘Operation Morning’ mode, trying to get everyone dressed, packed, ready, and out the door on time, including herself. She had a full list of maternal and child health appointments starting at nine plus a home visit. All up, it was a one hundred and twenty kilometre round trip and she had to be back in time for school pick-up.
    ‘Where’s Daddy?’ she asked Ruby as she glanced at the old station clock. It was the first gift Grant had given her and she loved it. She’d grown up with a similar clock in her parents’ home, so the gift was thoughtful. It was also ironic, because Kelly was always on time and Grant was not.
    ‘I’m here,’ Grant’s deep and melodious voice announced calmly as if he wasn’t running late.
    She glanced up from loading fruit into the kids’ lunch boxes and soaked him in. Although he was now ten years older than when she’d first met him, Grant still had a way of making her stop, look and breathe in deeply against a delicious, tingling rush. She’d noticed other women stopped and looked as well, and Grant worked with a lot of women. Was that why he was ignoring her in bed lately?
    Don’t go there.
    She pulled her mind back from that dark and dangerous place and forced herself to smile.
    He was straight out of the shower and the blond hair on his nape was still damp, the dry ends kicking up on his shirt collar. He wore her favourite chambray shirt, which lit up his vivid, outback-sky-blue eyes and emphasised the distinctive black ring around the iris. Eyes that had once sought hers across a crowded hospital cafeteria in Brisbane and made her quiver in delicious anticipation. Eyes that had once said, Fuck me, I’m yours. And she had—up against the wall in the supply room, on the desk in his office and on a bed in a closed ward.
    Now, when his eyes caught hers, they only said, I’m tired.
    A wave of sadness rolled through her. Of course she knew that sex couldn’t always be at the high-octane level of their early relationship but hell, they’d done better when the twins were babies than they were doing now. It was like sex had slid to the bottom of their ever-extending to-do list. Grant’s list anyway.
    He leant in toward her, his fresh scent of peppermint and laundry powder encircling her, and she turned and tilted her head so she could meet his lips. He missed her mouth and kissed her almost absently on the cheek.
    ‘I’ve got clinic in town today. Did you book the four-wheel drive in for a service at Joel’s? It’s overdue and you know you can’t risk breaking down out here again.’
    She heard the criticism in his voice and swallowed a sigh. Once she’d been late getting the Cruiser serviced. Once she’d been stranded when the fuel pump had failed. Joel had reassured her that the two things were not connected. Grant apparently disagreed.
    ‘Joel’s doing it on Tuesday.’ The toast flew up out of the toaster and she shot out a hand to catch the slices before putting them on a plate. ‘Have you paid your professional indemnity insurance?’
    Grant wasn’t great at remembering mundane things like paying bills and the thought of him missing this particular payment gave her heartburn. As much as he was a loved and respected member of the community, it only took one grieving person to decide to sue and they risked losing everything. ‘You know it’s due tomorrow, right?’ Her worry carried over into her voice, making it sharper than she’d intended.
    ‘Yes, Kelly, I’m aware and I’ll pay it today,’ he said coolly as he scraped butter and Vegemite over the toast before cutting it into triangles. ‘Ruby, Max, breakfast.’
    ‘Daddy!’ The twins came running and threw themselves at their father. ‘You missed seeing me beat Mummy at